Wind-wheel.



H. sown:

V WIND WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1909. 933,394. Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

2 sums-5113m- 1.

H. S OHMIT.

WIND WHEEL.

APPLIOATION I'ILED APR. 17. 1909.

Patented Sept. 7,1909. 2 SHEETS-433B! 2.

HENRY SCI-IMI'1,.OF McPI-IERSON, KANSAS.

WIND-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

Application filed April 17, 1909. Serial No. 490,441.

1'0 at]; whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SoHMrr, citizen of the United States, residing at Me- Pherson, in the county of McPherson and State of Kansas, have lnvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wind-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wind wheels for power purposes, of that type having a horizontal rotary wheel, that is, one which revolves on a vertical axis.

The object of the invention is to improve the structure with respect to the means for supporting the blades or vanes in position to be turned into or out of the wind, in order to start or stop the wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for holding the vanes in the position to which they are adjusted.

Further improvements relateto the manner in which and the means by which the shaft of the wheel is mounted 111 its supporting bearings.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wheel. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig 1. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section.

The drawings illustrate that part of the invention which is mounted upon the usual tower or support, not shown, and referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates an angular bracket or support which is arched over the wheel and its opposite side pieces will be fastened at the feet thereof to the top of the tower. This arched frame supports a cross piece 7 which is fastened at its ends to the legs of the frame and extends across between the same. Another cross piece 8 is also provided, extending at right angles to the cross piece 7 and secured to said cross piece at the middle thereof, the piece 8 being supported at the ends by leg. 9 the lower ends of which will be fastened to the tower. The shaft 10 of the wheel extends at its lower end through a ball bearir 11 mounted upon the cross piece 7 and supported by the same and the cross piece 8. The upper end'of the shaft turns in a ball bearing 12 at the middle of the upper cross piece of the arched frame 6.

At its upper end, just below the cross piece of the frame 6, the shaft has oppositely extending arms 13 which support the upper ring 14, and this in turn supports the lower ring 15 by means of depending hangers 16. A skeleton frame is thereby formed which turns with the shaft 10 and which supports the blades. Each blade 17 consists of a piece of sheet metal slightly dished or curved in horizontal cross section and of proper length or height to fit between the upper and lower rings 14 and 15. A series of these blades is arranged symmetrically around the wheel, and each blade is pivoted to said rings, at top and bottom, by pivots indicated at 18, washers 19 being used at the pivots. Said blades are thus free to turn, or be turned, on a vertical axis to vary their angular position with respect to the main axis of the wheel. Thus they can be set toward a radial position, in order to operate the wheel, or they can be closed to substantially circular position, so as to not catch the wind, when the whel is to be stopped. The curvature of the blades is such that when closed they form practically a complete circle or cylinder, with blades in alinement with the rings of the wheel.

At its inner margin, and somewhat above the middle of the blade, each blade is provided with an inwardly extending arm 20 which is connected by a rod 21 to a peripheral flange 22 on a sleeve 23 which is movable up and down on a squared part 24 of the central shaft 10. The sleeve 23 must rotate with the shaft, but can nevertheless be slid up and down thereon. At its upper end said sleeve carries a star-shaped plate or device 25 the radial points or branches of which project beyond the sleeve and between the several rods 21 which connect the blades of the wheel to the flange 22. The branches 26 of the plate are so cut or shaped that the edges at one side thereof, indicated at 27, bear against the respective rods 21, and said edges form, in effect, guides for said rods, by which the movement of the rods is limited or guided, whereby the angle at which the blades 17 are set is also controlled. By means to be described, the sleeve 28 may be raised or lowered. When raised, the effect is to push or force the rod 21 outwardly and radially, whereby the blades 17 are turned on their pivots to or toward the inactive position. When the sleeve 23 is lowered the reverse action takes place, the rods being retracted or drawn down, causing the blades 17 to turn to present their concave faces or sides. to the'wind. As the blades turn the rods 21 follow along the. edges 27, and, when the blades are in open position, said rods rest against said edges, and thereby resist any tendency or possibility of the wind blowing any particular blade or blades beyondits proper position. In other words, the rods 21 have a bearing against the edges 27, and-are thereby prevented from buckling or swinging in, and the blades are all maintained at the same relative position or angle with respect to the main shaft 10.

For lifting the sleeve 23 it is provided with a roller bearing collar 28 which is connected by rods 29 to a yoke 30 which has at the/middle an opening through which the lower part ofthe shaft extends loosely. Said yok e is connected to a rod 31 which runs through'a guide hole at 32 int-he cross piece 8 andis connectedat its lower end to a lever 33 which is fulcrumed on a bracket 34 attached to the cross piece 7.- This lever may be manipulated in any suitable manner to start orstop the wheel,-being arranged to engage'in uppen andlower notches 35 and 36in a bracket 37 in the respective positions, and heldat such an engagement by a spring 38.-

The'ma-insha-ft 10 is provided at its lower end witha bevel pinion 39 which meshes with a bevel gear 40 on a cross shaft 41 mounted inbearings inbrackets L2 depending from'the cross piece 7Q Power may be transmitted from the shaft 41 inany desired manner.

Vhenthe lever '33 is operated in one direction, the-yoke 30 is lifted which lifts the collar 28 and the sleeve-23, the sleeve being free to turn I in said collar, as stated. As the sleeve lifts on thesquared-part of the shaft the rods 21 being forced outwardly close the blades of the wheel to substantially cylindrical form,--the'reby stopping the operation of the wheel. To start the Wheel the sleeve 23'is' pulled down by reverse movement of the lever, and the blades or vanes being thus turned towarda radial position they receive the force of the wind on their concave sides and the wheel and the main shaft are turned accordingly.

I claim:

1. In a wind wheel, the combination of a vertical shaft, a series of blades arranged in vertical position around the shaft, means to support the blades on the shaft, the blades being pivoted at top and bottom, a non-ro tatable sleeve movable up or down on the shaft, connectingrods between the sleeve and the blades, guides mounted onthe sleeve and againstwhieh the rods bear to limitthe turn of the. blades, and means to raise or lower the sleeve.

2.T=he COD'lbllliltlOlLOf a horizontal wind wheel having acentralshaft and blades pivotedto turn on vertical axes and arranged in acircle aroundsaid shaft, means to support the blades on the shaft a sleeve slidable up or down on the shaft and non-rotatable with respectthereto, rods connecting the sleeve and blades, to turn the latter as the sleeve is raised or lowered,- means to-raise or lower the sleeve, andguide arms projecting from the sleeve and against which the rods bear to governthe turn of the blades.

3. The combination of a horizontal-wind wheelhavingaicentral shaft and blades pivoted to turn on vertical axes and arranged in a circle around said shaft, means to support the blades on theshafta sleeve slidable up or down on the shaft and non-rotatable withrespect thereto, rods connectingthe sleeve and the inner. edges of the blades to turn the blades as the sleeve is raised orv lowered, means'to raise or lower the sleeve, and a guide plate fixed to the sleeve and having arms projecting radially between said rods, the edges of the arms being in contact with the rods and inclined to guide and support the rods, tocontrol the turn of the blades.

In testimony whereof,-I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HEN-RY SCHMTT.

itnesses:

S. W. LIN DSAY, B. J; Bnonnn. 

